Category Archives: The We Project

This blog is written and edited by Emma Rosenthal, and is a project of THE WE PROJECT/IHC. If you support this unique exploration of dis-abiity in the larger society, please consider a tax deductible donation to this project.

The WE Project is a project of International Humanities Center, a 501(c)(3) Charitable Trust. All checks should be made payable directly to ―IHCenter/The WE Project. Contributions to The WE Project are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law

I hadn’t realized it’s been a half a year since I last posted to this blog. I keep three other blogs, and while I’ve made a few posts on those sites, and I did create a new page: “Resources for Accessibility” to this blog. (see the menu at the top of this page); it’s been a slow year for me as a blogger, and I haven’t made any new posts, here since December.

I’ve been spending a lot of time on facebook– where, in addition to my private wall, I also have 2 organizational walls– DragonflyHill Urban Farm, and Cafe Intifada, and I’ve started tweeting, too. So, so much social media, and perhaps I haven’t needed to blog as much. Been venting my frustrations there. Regardless, I do need to come back to bed with frida, not that she missed me. But I hope my readers have.

We’ve also been busy fixing up our home– DragonflyHill Urban Farm, busy with urban farming. I’ve been taking classes in photography and have a very serious and extensive work in progress I’ll be posting to the web sometime soon. And life’s been hard. very hard. We’re coming out of several difficult years and I THINK we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m hoping it’s not the train!!!!

I do expect to be doing a lot more writing in the coming weeks. Some of the topics you might expect to see include:

The Clientization and Infantalization of Dis-ability— the tendency of health care providers, friends, family, co-workers and others, including activists to see PWDs (people with dis-abilities) as clients to be cared for, and not peers to be respected, empowered and nurtured. Along with clientization comes infantilization– seeing PWDs as little children and putting us in our place. (this becomes especially acute for women PWDs, who are apparently expected to be good little girls.)

Emma’s Lexicon: A guide to the terms I use and their meanings, including PWDs. dis-ability, dis-abled, as well as words to address issues of imperialism, colonization, occupation, social justice and radical healing.

Radical Healing: How to heal in community, how to provide systems of support, how to build community, and at the very least, what NOT to do. I’m also looking at the role social networking: blogging, Facebook and twitter can have in breaking down the isolation of illness and dis-ability. I’ll also look at how these venues can also be abused by bullies and perpetrators to increase marginalization and victimize targets of abuse.

Resource Pages: Pages that provide resources on a specific topic. For example, see our page on Resources for Accessibility. (See links above) Other pages include resources on Accessible urban farming, healing trauma, etc.

On my other blogs look for posts of essays, stories and poems including much writing on racism, sexism, movement building, infiltrators in the movement, blacklisting, building community, white supremacy, etc. As well as a variety of resource pages on political figures, issues, etc.

And look forward to my new web page of my photography, something that has been in the works for some time.

This blog, In Bed With Frida Kahlo, is a project of The WE Project. Here is a bit more of what we do. Please consider supporting us with a donation so we can continue our work.

December 2010

Dear Friends,

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year,

This has been a very busy and significant year for The WE Project/IHC which is now at home at our own DragonflyHill Urban Farm and Conference Center; a 1914 Craftsman duplex situated in the Westlake section of Echo Park. We’ve initiated several programs and look forward to expanding them in the coming year. We urge you to include us in your end of the year charitable donations so we can continue with these efforts.

DragonflyHill Urban Farm and Conference Center and The WE Project Programs and Services:

DragonflyHill includes The Studios Space, and The Purple Barn at DragonflyHill, The Urban Farm and The Museum House.

The Studio Space houses The WE Project which provides a variety of services to the greater community:conference space, overnight accommodations for speakers and out of town activists, classes,tutoring, individual and organizational consulting, radical healing through Reiki, and a variety of resources and publications. Because of the immense need in the area of dis-ability inclusion, we offer our services to other organizations in methods and planning for increased outreach to this important and overlooked sector of the community.

DragonflyHill Urban Farm is a teaching facility, offering classes in urban farming, from soil preparation to harvest. . The Farm specializes in fruits, herbs and edible flowers and also has a small plot of seasonal vegetables. But our principle focus is on the cultivation of sustainable community connections, economic social justice and mutual support and aid. Amazing things happen when people grow food together.

The Purple Barn at DragonflyHill space for conferences (including up to 5 break out rooms), classes, meetings, events, rehearsal space, yoga and art etc. The Barn, which has space for up to 70 participants, will be available for use in January of 2011; until then we can provide meeting space for up to 30 people. Please contact us for information about space rental and reservations.

The Museum House is a restored 1914 Craftsman duplex*, which had suffered years of neglect and now features period design, furnishings, innovative solutions to dis-ability access and reflects months of craftsmanship, research, and the extensive use of Craigslist. The front of the house is full of edible flowers, fruit trees and herbs. Fifteen rose bushes from varieties in existence when the house was built, line the pathways. Overnight accommodations are available for out of town activists, speakers, students and other wandering souls.

We are looking for collaborators, activists, community builders, artists, writers, actors, workers and scholars to join us on this exciting path. Please let us know your interests so we can explore ways to work together.

All our events and programs are wheelchair accessible and dis-ability affirmative. We hope to provide a model for dis-ability inclusion within the larger movement for universal human rights.

We also appeal to you for your financial support. We make all these services available on the basis of need, not ability to pay. Please make an end of the year TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation to help us with this work.

With sincerest wishes for a wonderful holiday season and peace with justice, in the New Year,

All donations go directly to the programs of The WE Project. Donations do not go toward property costs or personal living expenses of those residing at DragonflyHill Urban Farm.. The space for The WE Project is provided by Emma Rosenthal and Andy Griggs.

MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO THE WE PROJECT

Name _______________________Organization__________________________

Address__________________________________________________________

City__________________________State_____________Zipcode_____________

Phone_________________Fax________________email____________________

Indicate one:___$1000 ___$500 ___$250 ___$100 ___$50 ___$25 ____other

If you would like your donation to go to a specific WE Program, please indicate so here: _____________________and if paying by check, add this information to the memo line. Please make all checks out to The WE Project/IHC.

Credit Card Information:

Name on Card ________________________________________Date __________

Type of card ___Visa ___Mastercard ___Diners ___Discover

Card number____-____-____-____ Expiration Date______ CVC code_______

Amount_________ Signature_________________________________________

To make a contribution on line, via credit card: http://www.ihcenter.org/groups/weproject

To make an inkind donation from our wish list: http://amzn.com/w/21I2OA32816EI

Mail this form to:

The WE Project

345 1/2 Douglas Street

Los Angeles, CA 90026

The WE Project is a project of International Humanities Center, a 501(c)(3) Charitable Trust. All checks should be made payable directly to: The WE Project/IHC. Contributions to The WE Project are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

MISSION STATEMENT

The WE Project cultivates sustainable paradigms of individual and collective healing, identity and empowerment through education, dialogue, creative expression and collaboration within a social justice context.

Emma Rosenthal’s Birthday Wish:

Emma Rosenthal, founder of The WE Project, and blogger at In Bed With Frida Kahlo, has a birthday wish for her 51st birthday (February 11).

Please donate to my birthday wish this year!For my birthday, I’m trying to raise funds for The WE Project/IHC including DragonflyHill Urban Farm and In Bed With Frida Kahlo. The cause’s mission: The WE Project seeks to cultivate individual and collective empowerment, along with personal, family and cultural identity, through self-discovery, personal development, dialogue and collaboration. You can donate directly to The WE Project/IHC by check or credit card at: